Method of forming material



Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,015

c. D. KNOWLTON METHOD OF FORMING MATERIAL Filed May '7, 1920 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 C. D. KNOWLTON METHOD OF FORMING MATERIAL Filed y 7. 1920 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 //V VE/V 7Ufi Jan. 24,1928. 1,657,015

C. D. KNOWLTON METHdD OF FORMING MATERIAL Filed May '7. 1920 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fig. 6.

Jan. 24, 1928.

. c. D. KNOWLTON METHOD OF FORMING MATERIAL Filed May '7. 1920 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 Jari. 24, 1923,

c. D. KNOWLTON 1 METHOD OF FORMING MATERIAL l6 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed May 7, 1920 Jan. 24, 1928.

1,657,015 C. D. KNOWLTON METHOD OF FORMING MATERIAL Filed May '7, 1920 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 Jan. 24, 1928.

c. D. KNOWLTON METHOD OF FORMING MATERIAL Filed May 7. 1920 16 Sheets-Sheet l0 II III] Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,015

c. D. KNOWLTON METHOD OF FORMING MATERIAL Filed May 7, 1920 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 FigtZ L Jan. 24, 1928.

1,657,015 C. D. KNOWLTON METHOD OF FORMING MATERIAL Filed May 7. 1920 16 Sheets-Sheet 13' VE/V THE M omwz Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,015

C. D. KNOWLTON METHOD OF FORMING MATERIAL Filed May '7. 1920 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 //V VE /V 7 75. 0% 4M Jam; 24, 1928.

C. D. KNOWLTON METHODOF FORMING MATERIAL Filed May '7, 1920 16 $heets-$het l5 I Jan. 24, 1928.

C. D. KNOWLTON METHOD OF FORMING MATERIAL 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed May 7. 1920 Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

l'l Efi STA CUTLEB D. KNO'WLTON, OF

MASSACHUSET S,

ASSIG-IlC-R TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF EATER-SON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW METHOD OF FORMIIIG I/IATERIAL.

Application filed May 7,

This invention relates to the bringii material into predetermined forms, more particularly concerned with the ing of strips in accordance with a pattern, though it is to be understood that its usefulness is not 11 ited to this held. in important appliesof its principles is in connection with the ormation of the implements commonly termed clicking dies, which are :trequently employed for cutting pieces of leather and fabric to be assembled in shoe uppers. As far as I am aware, these dies have heretofore been made manually, with the assistance only of a simple apparatus. which is utilized for producing the more sharply bent portions. Generally the method pursued is follows: The workman cuts off a piece of die-stock, which consists of strip steel tapered or frusto-conical in cros' tion, the length of the'cut portion'being suliicient to allow it to be brought to conformity with the periphery of a templetrepresenting the die to be produced, and also including enough stock to overlap for welding. 'llhcu, selecting such a point in the cut piece that the weld will come in the proper relation to the angles, a corner is bent to the templet, and thereafter an adjacentside and the succeeding corner. Each bend tends to distort the portion or portions previously formed, and to these corrective bending action must be applied. Naturally, the workman may find, after adjacent angles and an intermediate side have been brought to what is believed to be the contour of the templet, that the distance along the side between the angles does not correspond with sulficient accuracy to this dimension of the templet. If such be the case, it is undesirable to straighten and re-bend the angle on account of the evil effect upon the structure of the metal, so the worlnnan resorts to no such expedient as hammering, or otherwise e:-;- erting force upon the stock in one direction or the other, to shorten or lengtl'ien the intermediate side. This is in itself objectionable. since it likely to distort the work, and if it fails in its purpose the partially completed (lie must be scrapped and the labor lost. Thus bending, trying to the template, further bending and correcting, the workman pro ceeds until the ends of the piece are brought to ether and are welded. Though clickirg 1920. Serial No. 379,588.

will be seen that the operations are at best but a series of apprornn'iations, having the further disadvantage of reacting unfavorably upon one another, and that the reforming of parts already operated on is required. The makingv of these dies manually is consequently relatively slow and expensive.

To overcome such difficulties as above outlined, an object of my invention is to provide a novel method of progressively forming material under the guidance of a pattern. In carrying out this improved method, the pattern and formed material are maintained in fixed relation to each other, though without forming action by the pattern upon material, as by react-ion to the forming pressure. Preferably, there is imparted to the material and by said material to the pattern a movement of translation, and this relation I believe to be attained most satisfactorily by supporting the pattern upon the material. In thus operating upon the material, there is a constant or non-retrogressive advance toward completion, with entire freedom from cumulative errors. As herein described, the extent of separation between the work and pattern is determined as the formation progresses, a d their approach caused in accordance with such determination. Considering particularly the bending of a strip of stock, as in forming a die, I may advantageously operate by gradually advancing a free end of the strip, restricting its movement, as by clamping it fixedly or by merely setting up a resistance, for example by a co-operating abutment against which the strip bears, and bending the strip between the free end and the restricted portion, the guiding pattern being preferably attached to the free portion.

In the performance of my improved method, the stock may or may not be heated, the heating being with the object of facilitating its bending. W ien heating is eu1- ployed, it is, in accordance with the proc dure herein disclosed, applied to a limited, gradually changing portion of the strip or other material, in keeping with the general principle of progressive effect which I have enigloyed, and the formin pressure is best exerted upon the work simultaneously with the heating and at the point of application of heat. A desirable, readily controllable method of heating is by electricity. When the work is electrically heated, and

- lines 5 and 66, V respectively,

especially when current is applied through a varyingcontact, as at the point of bending, oxidation of the heated metal constituting the bender and stock will diminish its conductivity and tend to cause undue local heating at the contact. Another object of the invention is to prevent this oxidation,

.which I may do by enveloping the contacting surfaces in a non-oxidizing medium, as a flame of illuminating as."

A further object ot the invention is to control the heating in accordance with the character of the forming effect upon the stock, or under the influence oi? the forming operation. Such control may be exercised in connection, for example, with the bending of a strip, with relation to the magnitude of bending pressure and the extent oi? bending. This procedure is particularly'etlicicious in connection with the useott' electric current for heating, and when this is applied at the point of bending pressure. Initially, the contact should be iirm before current flows, to avoid injurious local heating at the surface of contact. For a like reason, the application of current should be discontinued beforethe contact becomes too light. Furthermore, for extreme bends the passage of current should not be maintained for so long a time as to overheat the stock. Over all these conditions I may exercise control.

The bending of a strip to generatea form lying in a predetermined plane may set up stresses in the stock tending to displace it from said plane, this being especially liable to occur when the strip is inclined in crosssection, as is die-stock. Still another object of the invention is to guard against this distortion, which I effect by resisting the displacement of the strip as it is advanced in forming and without interference with such advance, the sam control being excrcised over the pattern,when this is carried by or travels'with the strip. As the bending takes place in the plane of thefpattern, support against the displacement is given along lines intersecting said plane.

Other objects of the invention will appear upon consideration of the following description, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in Wl1lCl1 Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one of the many embodiments which a machine for carrying out my improved forming method may assume; v

Fig. 2 is an end elevation, taken from the right in Fig. 1; 1 i

F 3 is an enlarged horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; V

Fig. 4: is avertical section upon the line ll of Fig. 3';

Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views upon the offlFigs'. 3 ands;-

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the entire machine r Fig. 8 is a detail in 'elevationof the controlling mechanism tor the work-feeding, clamping, bending and heating mechanisms;

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional details of the primary valve of such controlling mechanism;

Fig. 11 is a like view of a portion of the secondary valve; r

Fig. 2 shows in perspective the work clamping and bending members, with the more closely associated portions of the con trolling mechanism and supporting device;

Fig. 13 is a similar view of the primary valve portion of the controlling mechanism;

Fig. 1% is a detail in plairof a portion oli the feeder connections; 7

.Figs. 15 and 16 are vertical, sectional details of the work-supporting device;

Fig. 17 illustrates in perspective a workengaging portion of the support;

Figs. 18 and 19 show in perspective two forms of a device for securing the work to the temple-t;

Fig. 20 is a perspective of the clamping and bending members with their supporting V and actuating elements;

Fig. 21 illustrates one of the bending members in perspective; I

Fig. 22 is a central, vertical sectional de tail through the bending and heat-controlling clutches on the line 2222 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 23 shows, separated, a'sct of contactmembers associated with one clutches;

Fig. 2st is a perspective view, bringing out more particularly the circuit-controlling means for the heating current;

Fig 25 is a longitudinal section from the left-hand portion of Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 presents in perspective the cur rent-limiting mechanism Fig. 27 illustrates diagrammatically elect ical circuit of the machine;

Fig. 28 is a detail in perspective oi cutter-actuating cam Fig. 29 shows in a like manner mechanism for causing the actuationot' cutter-cam; V

Fig. Si) is a transverse section through the cam and a portion. of its actuating mechanism;

Fig. ll is a perspective detail VlUW oi. the connecting pawl for the cam;

Fig. illustrates in perspective the latch ing arm for moving the jaws manually;

Fig. similarly discloses the actuating elements directly connected with the movable clamping jaw; I

Fig. is a vertical section through the mechanism for reversing the feed of the work: i

F lg, shows in perspective a portion of taken the mechanism associated with the clamping of these jaws for initiating the action of the cutting mechanism and automatically stopping the operation of the machine;

Fig. 36 similarly illustrates another portion of this mechanism;

Figs. 37, 38 and 39 are detail perspectives of component parts appearing in Figs. and 36;

Fig. is a perspective view of mechanism for manually stopping the operation of the machine F 4.1 shows, separated and in perspective, co-operating elements of this mechanism;

Figs. and 4:3 are vertical sections illustrating two positions of means for preventing operation of the cutting mechanism when the machine is stopped manually;

Fig. ll is a detail in perspective of one of the elementsof the last-mentioned figures;

Fig. 15 illustrates in perspective a portion of the mechanism for controlling the actuation of the cutter manually;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of mechanism for increasing the pressure of the nieumatic svstem for com iletin a bendin operation Fig. 17 is a. horizontal section through the air-controlling portion of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 shows the reducing gearing of the machine in side elevation; and

Fig. 19 illustrates diagrammatically elements of the machine acting directly upon the work.

Principal elements of the mac/line and general procedure.

Referring particularly to Figs. 7, 12 and 49, let it be assumed that it is desired to form a strip of metal S to the contour of a templet T to produce a clicking or other cutting die, For this purpose, there are mounted upon a suitable casing or frame F, and cooperating directly with the .strip, feeding rolls 100, 102 and 10st, jaws 106 and 108, benders 110 and 112, feeler or formdctermining members 114 and 116, and a cutter 118. The rolls are driven to intermittently advance the stock at a predetermined rate, the roll 10l being so related to the common tangent to the rolls 100 and 102 that the stock in passing between them, as appears in 49, has imparted to it a slight uniform curvature. This, at the end of the forming operation, since a closed figure is being produced, will prevent the ends of the stock from coming into cont-act, and will permit one to overlap the other for the purpose of joining them by welding. These rolls deliver to the jaws 106 and 108, respectively fixed and movable, between which the work is restricted as to lateral movement for forming, being also, in the present instance, held positively during intermissions of feed, \Vhile thus held, the

stock is forced laterally over the ends of the jaws, in one direction or the other, into conformity with the templet by the benders, which are arranged to oscillate across the opening between the jaws and for some distance aloi-ig each side thereof. These actions are under the control of the feeler,

which, as illustrated herein, is duplex, contacting with both the templet and the stock. In this way it may be caused to gage the distance between the two, or to exercise controlling fuuction solely because of the departure of the stock from the 'emplet. This eliminates errors which might be in odnccd by a play of the stock and tcmplet between the jaws. The cutter an the stock has been bent about the entire teinplot, as appears in dotted lines in Fig. 19, to sever it from the body of the strip fed. First the stock is advanced in the dii of its longitudinal axis by the rolls bet .ceen the jaws, and then the tei'nplet, which has openings t distributed about its periphery, is secured to the stock. as by clips C, which may be either rectangularin section, as appears in Fig. 18, or round, as is illustrated in Fig. 19. In either case, each clip has a short arm 50, arranged to enter a templet opening Z, and a long arm somewhat spaced from the arm and provided with an inwardly bent end. 5%: adapted to pass beneath the edge of the stock to hold it more firmly to the templet. This attachment by the clips is successively made manually the forming operation proceeds. Yi hen the formation of the die to the templet is con1- pleted, the machine is stopped and the formed stock out from the remainder automatically, controlled by mechanisms the action of which is initiated by the contact of the forward extremity s, The clips are then ren'ioved, and the die is ready for the joining of its adjacent extremities.

lVhile the elements just outlined furnish efficient means for bending a die in a wholly automatic manner, it is not to be understood that all or any particular one of these is essential to the performance of my improved method, they being capable of co-operating in various useful combinations, as will hereinafter be defined in the claims.

The feeding rolls are best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7, and heir actuating mechanism in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The roll is secured upon the upper end of a shaft 130, journaled in the frame about a vertical axis. Pairs of pinions 132, 132 and 1M, 13%, 2 respectively connect the shaft with the shafts of the rolls 102 and 10 1-, these being mounted rotatably adjacent to the roll 100 and turning in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, .To alter the relation of the bite of the rolls 100 and 102 to the roll 104:, and thus changethe degree of curvature imparted to the stock, the roll 102 may be journaled in a member 101 arranged'to be swung about the shaft'130. The swinging member has pivoted to it at 103 a rod 105 threaded at 107 through a portion of the frame. A hand-wheel 109 facilitates the turning of the red by the operator, and this, through the longitudinal travel produced by the thread, brings about the desired adjustment of the roll 102. The stock, from which clicking dies are made is usually tapered in cross-section, and, to permit-the rolls to cooperate )roperly with this, their peripheries are inclined reversely to the taper of the stock. ,Atthe lower end of the shaft 180 is fixed a gear 136, with which meshes a pinion 188 fast upon a shaft 14:0 journaled vertically' near one side of the frame (Figs. and 5). About the upper, portion of this shaft 1&0 is a loose sleeve 1 12, having formed at its bottom portion a disk 14st. From oppositersides of the disk depend pairs of studs 1 16, 1&6, about which are rotatable pairs of co-operating pinions 1 18, 150; 1&8, 150. Each of the pinions 1&8 mesheswith a pinion 152 keyed upon an enlargement near the center of the shaft- 140. The pinions 150 both mesh with an internal gear 15%, carried upon the upstanding annular edge of a disk 156, which may be integral with the upper extremity of a sleeve 158 surrounding the lower. portion of the shaft 140. The edge of the disk 156 also has at its outside gearteeth 160 acting upon a. pinion 162 surrounding a clutch-shaft 16d journaled for rotation parallel to tie shaft 1 1-0. About the sleeve 142 areelongatedgear-teeth 166, which are engaged at opposite sides of'the sleeve-by rackbars 168 and 170 mounted to slide upon the frame. If power is applied to the disk 156 from the clutch-shaft 164: by the pinion 162 while the pinions 1 18 and 150 are free to revolve about the axis of the shaft 140, rotation is not imparted to the roll-shaft 180. hen, however, the rack-bar 168, moving toward the right as viewed in Fig. 3 of the drawings, strikes the head 172 of a plunger,

n'iount-ed tolmove in the frame. fora limited distance (Fig. 46) and then acting as a stop,-

it is held against further advance in this direction and arrests the revolution of the frame.

while for their actuating mechanism further reference may be had to Figs. 1, 5 211x185. The jaw 106 is fixedly attached to the top of the frame, while the jaw 108 is carried by aslide 180 movable in ways formed in theupper plate of the frame. The co-operating faces of the jaws are shown as curved, approximately upon arcs of large radii corresponding to the initial bend imparted to the stock by the feeding rolls. In the under side of the slide 180, in a transverse groove, is situated a block 182 33), having an opening to receive the eccentricend portion 184 of a vertical shaft 186 rotatably supported beneath the top plate of the frame. Attached to the lower extremity of the shaft 186 is an arm 188, the curved end of which is formed with a gear-segment portion 190, and having its throw limited by pairs of nuts and check-nuts 192 threaded upon a rod 1% ixed to the arm and contacting with the opposite sides of a frame portion 196. The rack 190 is engaged by a pinion 198 surrounding the clutch-shaft 161. 7 When this pinion is rotated by the clutch-shaft, it oscillates the rack-arm 188, turning the eccentric 184, and through the block 182 shift ing the slide 180 in'its ways to carry the jaw 108 into clamping eo-operation with the jaw 106. A leaf-spring 200 (Fig. fixed upon the frame and bearing against the outer extremity of the slide 180, takes up lost ,motion between said slide and the eccentric,

exerts its tension, when the clutch-shaft pinion is not driving the rack, to relieve the pressure; of the movable clamping jaw.

The pinions 162 and 198 of the feeding rolls and clamping jaws respectively re-.

ceive their rotation from co-operating clutch casings upon the shaft 164, for which see Figs. 3, 1 and 5. This shaftis stopped at 202 for vertical movement upon a lever system L, hereinafter more particularly described, against the tension of a spring20 1 surrounding a rod 206, which rod bears against theupper end ofthe shaft and slides through an adjustable bushing 208 in the frame. By changing the position in the frame of this bushing, which serves as an abutment for the spring as well as a guide for the rod, the resistance which the spring exerts to movement of the shaft may be varied. The feeding pinions 162 and 198 are formed, respectively, upon the hubs of casings 210 and 212, which have open sides adjacent to each other,-and are normally loose upon the shaft 164. These casings are held against movement from'one another by thrust collars 214, abutting against the lVithin the casings there is fixed to the shaft a sleeve 216, having secured upon it a central collar 218. Splined for longitudinal movement at 220 upon the sleeve are 

